A U.S. Marshal shot a suspect on Balboa Ave. near I-805 after they attempted to pull him over on Friday, July 6, 2012. The suspect, who was driving this white Volvo was wanted on a weapons charge. Traffic was shut ...
— K.C. Alfred

A U.S. Marshal shot a suspect on Balboa Ave. near I-805 after they attempted to pull him over on Friday, July 6, 2012. The suspect, who was driving this white Volvo was wanted on a weapons charge. Traffic was shut ...
— K.C. Alfred

A U.S. Marshal shot a suspect on Balboa Ave. near I-805 after they attempted to pull him over on Friday, July 6, 2012. The suspect, who was driving this white Volvo was wanted on a weapons charge. Traffic was shut ...
— K.C. Alfred

A U.S. Marshal shot a suspect on Balboa Ave. near I-805 after they attempted to pull him over on Friday, July 6, 2012. The suspect, who was driving this white Volvo was wanted on a weapons charge. Traffic was shut ...
— K.C. Alfred

A U.S. Marshal shot a suspect on Balboa Ave. near I-805 after they attempted to pull him over on Friday, July 6, 2012. The suspect, who was driving this white Volvo was wanted on a weapons charge. Traffic was shut ...
— K.C. Alfred

The driver — a 31-year-old man wanted on suspicion of firearms violations and burglary — was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to his upper body, while the deputy marshal was hospitalized with head injuries, cuts and bruises from being dragged and then tossed from the car. Both are expected to survive.

The incident, which occurred at 2:45 p.m. on Balboa Avenue west of Interstate 805, closed down freeway ramps for hours.

The northbound and southbound off-ramps were closed on I-805 at Balboa, which also was shut down between Convoy Street and Charger Boulevard. Eastbound Balboa was reopened about 10 p.m., and the westbound lanes about 11 p.m.

The U.S. Marshal Service’s Fugitive Task Force was conducting undercover surveillance of the man when he apparently caught on that he was being followed, San Diego police Capt. Terry McManus said during a news conference.

The officers decided to conduct a traffic stop on the car, which was being driven by a woman at the time, he said.

The car pulled over on Balboa, and the woman quickly exited and was detained.

At that moment, the man jumped from the passenger’s seat into the driver’s seat and began to flee. One of the deputy marshals reached through the open window in an attempt to remove the keys from the ignition and became stuck. He was dragged about 100 yards — just under the length of a football field.

“Fearing for his life, he removed his handgun and fired one round into the vehicle and struck the suspect in the upper torso area,” McManus said.

He was then tossed from the car, and it stopped.

The injured officer and others began lifesaving measures on the driver before paramedics took over, McManus said. Authorities did not release the names of the officer or suspect.

Detectives were interviewing several witnesses to the traffic stop and shooting, McManus said.

A security guard at the Islamic Center of San Diego mosque near I-805 said he heard a loud noise when a car hit the center median on Balboa. The guard, who did not want his name used, said he then saw a black SUV with flashing lights pull up and heard two “pops.”

In the middle of the taped-off crime scene, a white four-door Volvo could be seen stopped across traffic near the median, with its driver’s side door hanging open and the windshield wipers going.

De Le, who lives in the area, said he was nearby working on his computer when he heard three loud gunshots.